Customer Support

When our cable was disconnected by [a construction team].., it was only after calling the Montgomery County Cable Office that we were "connected" to the appropriate personnel to correct the problem

Andrea, Silver Spring, MD

Our Approach

Montgomery County offers assistance resolving cable and Internet service issues with franchised providers Comcast, RCN and Verizon. Subscribers should first contact the cable or broadband provider to resolve; if the issue is not resolved by the provider, the County will escalate the complaint and work to obtain the relief available under local or federal law. Complaints regarding damage from cable provider construction to yards, damage to outside cable equipment, and other construction issues can be reported directly to the Office of Cable & Broadband Services without having to first contact the cable provider. If the subscriber's direct effort with the vendor, nor the Office of Cable and Broadband Service's assistance yields a satisfactory solution, the issue may be escalated to the attention of the CCC.

How to File a Complaint

To file a complaint, please call 311 between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm and ask to speak with a County Investigator. Complaints may also be filed electronically using our on-line complaint form or by sending an e-mail to catv.complaints@montgomerycountymd.gov. Please be sure to include you name, service address and daytime contact phone number so that we may follow-up with you.

Types of Complaint Services

The County has authority to enforce the customer service provision agreed to Comcast, RCN and Verizon in their franchise agreement with the County. The County also has authority to enforce the cable and broadband compliance provisions of the County Code. Under State law, the Maryland Public Service Commission has authority to address landline telephone issues. In addition, the Office of Consumer Protection can assist with mobile telephone billing issues. The Federal Communications Commission will also accept complaints regarding program content, accessibility, “slamming,” “cramming,” and do not call violation complaints. Consumers can contact the Office of Cable & Broadband Services to help determine which agency can provide the best assistance.

Cable, Internet, and Digital Telephone Service Interruptions

The County can request that the cable provider check its outside wiring into your home and any cable operator supplied equipment to determine if there is a technical problem. The County can in some case also obtain credits for service interruptions. To assist with resolution of a service issue, the following information is necessary:

Name

Service Address

Daytime Contact Phone

What service was affected or interrupted and how long the interruption lasted.

Construction Complaints

The County also offers on-site inspections to assist consumers with cable equipment located in yards and throughout neighborhoods. Complaints regarding damage to outside cable equipment, temporary cables, damage to yards from cable and broadband construction can be reported directly to the Office of Cable & Broadband Services. To assist with resolution of a construction issue, the following information is necessary:

Name

Address of person filing the complaint

Daytime Contact Phone

Address or location of the construction issue

Description of problem (e.g., unrepaired damage to yard, wires or other construction materials left behind, want to know what company is performing construction in my neighborhood and for what purpose, construction left unfinished for longer than 30 days, such as temporary cables left on ground, damage cable provider equipment, hanging wires, damage to sprinkler systems or electronic animal fences, etc.)

Regarding cable and broadband complaints, the County has authority to assist subscribers with billing and credits, service quality, service interruption and outages, damage from construction issues. The County has no authority to order the cable providers to carry specific channels, offer a la carte per channel pricing, or reduce the cost of cable or Internet service. The County has limited authority to ensure that the rates for cable equipment and limited basic service (i.e., local broadcast and cable channels) comply with federal rate regulations.

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Translation

The Google Translate Tool is displayed dynamically on Montgomery County web pages using a Google javascript function. The function is used to translate County web pages into different languages. However, the Google function displays a drop-down menu form field (with no label) and a Google logo image which has no alt tag. Google is aware of this issue.